Further relief in far north Queensland, but deficiencies persist
in other parts of eastern Australia

The Bureau of Meteorology announced today that heavy monsoon rain
during March, removed or significantly eased, long-term (since
mid-2002) rainfall deficiencies
along the Queensland coast north of Ingham. Nevertheless, patches of
rainfall deficits remain further south along the Queensland coast,
through inland eastern Australia, in the southeast of the mainland and
in northwest WA.

Rainfall totals of more than 400mm (100% to 300% of average) along
the far northeast Queensland coast during March, eased or removed
long-term rainfall deficiencies. The region between Ingham and Princess
Charlotte Bay has had one to one-and-a-half times the average rainfall
so far this northern wet season (since October).

21-month rainfall deficiencies

However, for the 21-month period from
July 2002 to March 2004, rainfall deficiencies still persist
along parts of the north Queensland coast between Townsville and
Rockhampton, and in patches over inland eastern Australia.
A larger region persists in the southeast of the mainland and
covers Gippsland, central and some of northeast Victoria, together with
the southeast quarter of NSW and the ACT. Record low falls for the 21-month
July to March period have been registered in a few patches, especially
near Bairnsdale in southeast Victoria. These lows falls are notable in
that this general region has experienced below normal rainfall for most
of the past 8 years.

Because the deficiencies extend over such a long period, they’re
likely to take some time to be removed. For example, around Bairnsdale
over 400 mm of rain would be required over the next three months just to
elevate the rainfall since July 2002 to the tenth percentile (top of decile
range 1). Such a total would be near to, or above the record high April to
June rainfall for this region!

In WA, long-term rainfall deficiencies are confined to a relatively
small patch between Exmouth and Onslow.